It started as a simple request from the National Archives — and ballooned into one of the worst legal threats facing former President Donald Trump.
Nearly 18 months after the twice-impeached president left office on Jan. 20, 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Aug. 8, after numerous attempts were made to retrieve boxes on confidential and White House papers belonging to the National Archives.
Now, Trump faces a wide-ranging criminal probe involving potential violations of the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice. Although no charges have been filed, legal observers suspect a possible indictment is looming over the 45th president.